FBI welcome to join in investigation over Timika fatal ambush

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) from the United States is welcome to join Indonesia?s investigators to examine last year?s fatal shootings near PT Freeport Indonesia?s mining project in Papua which claimed the lives of two Americans and an Indonesian, National Police Chief Da?i Bachtiar said Sunday as reported by Kompas daily.

Da?i admitted that they had not formally invited FBI to take part in the investigation.

?We would make it possible for FBI to assist us in the investigation when necessary. But we have not formally invited them to join us. So far, FBI has not offered to assist us,? Da?i told reporters in Jayapura.

On August 31, 2002 unidentified gunmen attacked buses carrying workers of Freeport Indonesia near Timika. Two American teachers and an Indonesian were killed in the ambush, while 11 people including Americans and Australians were wounded.

US President George W. Bush had proposed that a joint team of FBI and Indonesian police investigators examine the case.

So far, a join team of Indonesian policed and military investigators has examined around 100 witnesses over the fatal ambush. But, no evidence had been found over people carried out the fatal shootings.

Some suspect that army members had been involved in the incident.

Freeport Indonesia is 91 percent owned by New Orleans-based Freeport McMoran Copper & Gold Inc. (*)